COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS ELEVENTH MEETING
WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 2000
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

1. Apologies
2. Register of Members' Interest
3. Agreed Minutes of Proceedings
4. Minutes of Evidence
5. Matters Arising
6. Briefing on Key Issues and DFP Work Programme
7. Draft Budget Report
8. Consider any Statutory Rules
9. Correspondence
10. Date of Next Meeting

In Attendance:

Mr Martin Wilson (Committee Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Sharon Bowman (Administrative Support)

2.1 The Chairman asked members to declare and register any further interests affecting the work of the Committee that arose during suspension. No interests were identified.

3.1 Agreed: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for the Committee meetings on 9 and 10 February 2000. top

4. Minutes of Evidence

4.1 Members were asked to notify the Clerk by 7 June of any amendments to the draft Minutes of Evidence for the meetings held on 19, 27 January, 2, 3, 9 February 2000.

5.1 Draft Report on Budget 2000/01.

5.1.1 This item was considered under Agenda Item 7.

5.2.1 A reply to the Chairman's letter to the Speaker on this matter had not yet been received.

5.3.1 Agreed: The Clerk would write, on behalf of the Committee, to the Assembly Commission seeking an explanation of the action taken to incorporate the Committee's recommendations on the Assembly Members' Pensions Bill into the Pensions Determination signed by the Secretary of State.

5.4.1 Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek clarification from the Department of Finance and Personnel. See Agenda Item 6.

5.5.1 A response from the Department of Finance and Personnel was still awaited.

5.6.1 Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider how best to define its role at a later date.

6.1Mr David Ferguson, Corporate Services Group, Department of Finance and Personnel, appeared before the Committee. He presented a paper on the key issues and work faced by the Department.

6.2 Agreed: It was agreed that the Department would consult with, or provide further information to the Committee on the following matters: 2000 Spending Review, EU Structural Fund, Rating Policy, audit of General Exchequer Grant payments, Business Plans for the Department and its agencies, Equality Scheme, New TSN Action Plan, 2001 Census, and Derry City Airport funding.

6.3 Agreed: The Committee agreed to the Minister's proposal to withdraw the current Trustee (Amendment) Bill and introduce a comprehensive package of trust law reform, as contained in his letter of 31 May.

6.4Agreed: The Committee accepted the Minister's invitation to speak to the Committee on the Northern Ireland Estimates 2000/01, the Appropriation Bill and the associated financial planning process on 7 June 2000.

7.1 Agreed: Members agreed to defer consideration of this item until 7 June.

8.1 No statutory rules were put before the Committee.

9.1 The Committee considered two letters dated 31 May to the Chairman from the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the 2000/01 Census and Trustee (Amendment) Bill. See Agenda Items 6.2 and 6.3 for action agreed.

10.1Agreed: The next meeting of the Committee would be on Wednesday, 7 June at 2.00 pm.